He's accused of soliciting and/or preparing to take bribes for the vacant US Senate seat. This includes cash payments and securing profitable jobs and board positions for himself and his wife. He has sole authority to make the appointment.

I've read comments elsewhere (by random unimportant nobodies, but still...) speculating that Obama is next. How THAT is possible I don't know, and I think this is a big enough deal without trying to drum up the story into being The Next President Is Going to Jail.

The amazing thing is this doofus has been under fire for years, and he's still dumb enough to be doing this. He HAD to know people were going to be watching for just this sort of thing, and he did it anyways.

This is all Rod. As most others from the Land of Lincoln on this board can confirm, it's been coming for a long time. There have been numerous arrests and co-conspirators flipped - including Tony Rezko - that tie him to a legacy of using the statehouse as an ATM, and while everyone else knew this day was coming he's remained in a blissful cloud of denial. The fact that the headline grabber here is the sale of the open Senate seat is fascinating considering Patrick Fitzgerald most likely had enough for a case before all that.

This guy just never stopped. Well, today Fitzgerald finally stopped him. Someone call Madigan and let's get the proceedings underway.

This is all Rod. As most others from the Land of Lincoln on this board can confirm, it's been coming for a long time. There have been numerous arrests and co-conspirators flipped - including Tony Rezko - that tie him to a legacy of using the statehouse as an ATM, and while everyone else knew this day was coming he's remained in a blissful cloud of denial. The fact that the headline grabber here is the sale of the open Senate seat is fascinating considering Patrick Fitzgerald most likely had enough for a case before all that.

This guy just never stopped. Well, today Fitzgerald finally stopped him. Someone call Madigan and let's get the proceedings underway.

A *LONG* time. In fact, he's been the subject of a federal probe for the last five years.

If convicted of wrong-doing, he will become the fourth former IL governor to serve time.

Originally posted by redsoxnationNow, what happens to the vacant Senate seat? Appointment by someone under indictment isn't the cleanest way to enter the Senate. And, please God let Jesse Jackson and/or his kid get pinched in this.

There's nothing to substantiate it at this point, but speculation (using the timeline in the Feds' release) is Senate Candidate #5, who offered money for the seat, is Jesse Jackson, Jr.

Originally posted by redsoxnationNow, what happens to the vacant Senate seat? Appointment by someone under indictment isn't the cleanest way to enter the Senate. And, please God let Jesse Jackson and/or his kid get pinched in this.

There's nothing to substantiate it at this point, but speculation (using the timeline in the Feds' release) is Senate Candidate #5, who offered money for the seat, is Jesse Jackson, Jr.

The Smoking Gun seems to think Sen. Candidate #5 is Emil Jones, President of the IL State Senate.

Rich Miller of the Capital Fax Blog's going with Jackson based on that he was the only one to meet with Blago during the timeline described by the Feds for candidate #5. I don't know what Smoking Gun is basing their IDs on, but I'd usually take Miller's word on Illinois politics over theirs.

“Later on December 4, 2008, ROD BLAGOJEVICH spoke to Fundraiser A. ROD BLAGOJEVICH stated he was “elevating” Senate Candidate 5 on the list of candidates for the open Senate seat. ROD BLAGOJEVICH stated he might be able to cut a deal with Senate Candidate 5 that provided ROD BLAGOJEVICH with something“tangible up front.” ROD BLAGOJEVICH noted he was going to meet with Senate Candidate 5 in the next few days.”

Ambinder…

The only candidate with whom Blagojevich met within that period was Jesse Jackson, Jr.

I asked Jackson’s office for a response much earlier today because I had the same suspicions. No response yet.

Edit: Rich is now wavering between Jackson and Jones, but I'd still lead towards Jackson (not based on his personality as much as the fact that the odds of Jones being named to the Senate are pretty low).

In a Nov. 4 phone call, Blagojevich allegedly told Harris that he should say to Tribune Financial Advisor, the Cubs chairman and the Tribune owner, “our recommendation is fire all those [expletive] people, get ‘em the [expletive] out of there and get us some editorial support.”

On Nov. 6, the day of a Tribune editorial critical of Blagojevich , Harris told Blagojevich that he told Tribune Financial Advisor the previous day that things “look like they could move ahead fine but, you know, there is a risk that all of this is going to get derailed by your own editorial page.”

Harris also told Blagojevich that he was meeting with Tribune Financial Advisor on Nov. 10.

In a Nov. 11 intercepted call, Harris allegedly told Blagojevich that Tribune Financial Advisor talked to Tribune Owner and Tribune Owner “got the message and is very sensitive to the issue.”

Harris told Blagojevich that according to Tribune Financial Advisor, there would be “certain corporate reorganizations and budget cuts coming and, reading between the lines, he’s going after that section.”

Blagojevich allegedly responded: “Oh. That’s fantastic.”

It's the SunTimes, so they're looking for opportunities to kill the Tribune, but it's sure hard not to read that as the Tribune's (new) management selling off it's credibility. Didn't see that on the Tribune's version of the story.

Unless I'm missing something (and there's a lot here so I might be), Obama looks to get out clean directly. There's a conversation about Obama wanting a specific person in the Senate seat but unwilling to give more than appreciation for the spot (so Blago decides to auction it off), which is a lot better than those who are bribing via fundraiser. There's certainly request from Blago for something in exchange for that senate seat but it doesn't seem like he ever got it.

You need a majority of the Illinois House to start impeachment proceedings, and two-thirds of the Senate to impeach. Blago has long been unliked in IL (there was talk about doing this last year, or adding a recall election), but he seems like the type that'll hold on tightly for as long as possible and they'll probably need to vote him out.

Originally posted by thecubsfanYou need a majority of the Illinois House to start impeachment proceedings, and two-thirds of the Senate to impeach. Blago has long been unliked in IL (there was talk about doing this last year, or adding a recall election), but he seems like the type that'll hold on tightly for as long as possible and they'll probably need to vote him out.

With the Senate appointment looming along with the state's budget issues, I would not be surprised to see impeachment/removal by the end of the year. Seriously, why wait? Bring on Pat!

Emil Jones is 73 years old and was going to retire from the Illinois Senate in January. Why would he pay money to Blagovich to get a Senate appointment that he didn't have much chance of holding beyond 2010?

Not saying it's not possible for that reason, but if he did it, it was a stupid thing to do.

Originally posted by thecubsfanYou need a majority of the Illinois House to start impeachment proceedings, and two-thirds of the Senate to impeach. Blago has long been unliked in IL (there was talk about doing this last year, or adding a recall election), but he seems like the type that'll hold on tightly for as long as possible and they'll probably need to vote him out.

With the Senate appointment looming along with the state's budget issues, I would not be surprised to see impeachment/removal by the end of the year. Seriously, why wait? Bring on Pat!

As much as his own party hates him, it might be tomorrow.

As of 2/28/05: 101 pounds since December 7, 2004OFFICIAL THREE-MONTH COUNT: 112 pounds on March 9, 2005OFFICIAL SIX-MONTH COUNT: 142 pounds on June 8, 2005OFFICIAL ONE YEAR COUNT: 187 pounds on December 7, 2005As of 2/27/06: 202 pounds "I've lost a heavyweight"As of 7/31/06: 224 poundsAs of 10/31/07: Still 217 down!As of 5/18/08: Still 217 down!Now announcing for the NBWA!*2008 NBWA Personality of the Year*www.IlliniHQ.com home of DWS Sportsnight PODCASTS, the E-Files and downstate radio home of thecubsfan!

Originally posted by spfThe amazing thing is this doofus has been under fire for years, and he's still dumb enough to be doing this. He HAD to know people were going to be watching for just this sort of thing, and he did it anyways.

When Elliot Spitzer went down (no pun intended) with his little indescretions early this year, I said it was the most amazingly brazen example of career suicide that I'd ever heard of.

He couldn't even hold that title through 2008, because Rod's the new runaway champion. Trying to SELL a Senate seat? And getting caught on tape doing it, while you KNOW the feds have been circling for years, getting the cell next to the previous Governor ready for you to occupy? That's a special kind of talent, right there.

You know, aside from the audacity of selling a damn Senate seat, I can't get over the STUPIDITY of talking about this kinda thing on your cell phone when you know (or should know) that you are being trailed by law. Obama once said that his favorite show on TV was "The Wire." It's too bad for his sake that old Ronny boy didn't have the same TV habits. He might have learned to use face-to-face meets only (or at least picture messages, ha!).

Originally posted by kwikSpitzer .. was the most amazingly brazen example of career suicide that I'd ever heard of.

He couldn't even hold that title through 2008, because Rod's the new runaway champion. Trying to SELL a Senate seat? And getting caught on tape doing it, while you KNOW the feds have been circling for years, getting the cell next to the previous Governor ready for you to occupy? That's a special kind of talent, right there.

Not to mention that the day before his arrest, Blago (while attention whoring at the Republic Windows worker protest) told a press conference that anyone who wanted to could tape him, only lawful business of the people would be heard...

The downside is that US Atty Fitzgerald apparently decided to move on this early, to prevent a tainted Senate appointment. Blago's career is over, but it would be a shame if Rod wriggled off the hook because the case was underdeveloped. Still, I think you have to agree that it was the right call by Fitz.

There figures to be some fun times for the Right, as they try to connect this to the President-Elect, but I would think the dire economy will keep that to a minimum distraction. Just a hunch, but I think it's about as likely as not that the person who approached the Gov on behalf of Jesse Jackson Jr, was the Rev. Jesse Jackson - and not necessarily with his son's knowledge. (see Jesse Jackson vs Anheuser-Busch, 1998)

If the senate seat goes to a special election, I wouldn't bet against Rep. Mark Kirk taking it for the Republicans. The seat's certainly much more in play now, Blago just evened up the George Ryan stink that should have kept Illinois 'Republicans' in the statewide office wilderness for at least another decade. Former Gov. Jim Edgar would be a shoo-in, but I believe his health won't allow him to consider a run. And I wonder what former Sen. Peter Fitzgerald (no relation) is up to these days?